The ongoing humanitarian impact of the civil war in Syria is almost too devastating to imagine.

That’s why publisher Serena Guen has, along with food editor and Instagrammer Clerkenwell Boy, spent the last three months working on a campaign which encourages people to connect with Syria and its people using the most universal of tools: food.

“The crisis has become so large that it’s hard for most people to picture it,” says Guen, co-founder of #CookForSyria.

A Syrian boy, who fled with his family from rebel-held areas in the city of Aleppo, sits inside a shelter (YOUSSEF KARWASHAN/AFP/Getty Images)

‘One small dinner’ to a global campaign

The #CookForSyria idea originated when Guen and Boy were collaborating on a magazine project together.

“We initially thought we would get some of our friends together in the food industry to do a small dinner,” she explains. “That small dinner actually turned into a launch dinner for 150 people with six headline chefs.”

“Food is all about sharing and it has no borders. It’s a great starting point for a much bigger conversation.”

Held in October, the dinner featured a menu of traditional Syrian cuisine, and served as an opportunity to engage people with the country, the conflict, and the realities of the crisis (as well as raise money for Unicef UK’s appeal for the children of Syria).

Guen explains that they chose to use Syrian cooking because they wanted to focus on a “positive aspect of Syrian culture”.

“Food is all about sharing and it has no borders,” she says. “It’s a great starting point for a much bigger conversation.”

Not content with raising awareness in the capital alone, a selection of recipes were also uploaded to the cookforsyria.com website, so that the public could hold their own Syrian supper clubs.

Soon, celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Yotam Ottolenghi and Angela Hartnett were contributing recipes to the site.

“It is amazing to see over 70 of the UK’s top chefs come together”, says Guen.

“It’s very powerful. I am also extremely touched by the British public who are going above and beyond to help – we even have little children donating their pocket money to our Just Giving page and hosting bake sales in their schools.

“There is no ‘us’ and ‘them’ anymore – everyone is united for one common cause.”

Making the book in three weeks

Such was the response, in fact, that the recipes have been collected into a recipe book, released earlier this month.

Wanting to act fast, the team created and published the book in just three weeks.

“The book was anything but easy, but the amount of incredible chefs and collaborators who donated their time and resources made it possible,” says Guen.

It is hoped that through a combination of book purchases, donations and a continuation of the #CookForSyria supper clubs, vital funds can be raised to improve the situation for children affected by the conflict. The campaign raises money for Unicef UK’s appeal for the children of Syria.

Guen explains: “The primary aim of #CookForSyria is to ensure that the children of Syria have a future, and in the short term have access to basic human necessities such as medication, education and food.”

She believes that #CookForSyria can help people take action in a simple yet effective way:

“We’re trying to create an outlet for this good will and a model that empowers people around the world to act.

“People often become paralysed because they feel that their contribution might not be worth anything – I cannot say it enough times – no contribution is too small.”

If you’re interested in holding a supper club, the Cook For Syria recipe book is available to purchase now – with all funds raised going to Unicef UK’s appeal for the children of Syria.

To whet your appetite a little, we have a sample recipe from Sami Tamimi & Yotam Ottolenghi:

Hark Osbao (Lentils and pasta with tamarind, sumac and pomegranate)

This is a dish for a feast, yet it is extremely comforting and delicious with all the toppings mixed in. Serves eight to ten.

Mix the tamarind with the water well to separate the pips. Strain the liquid into a small bowl discarding the pips and set aside.

Place a large saucepan on a medium-high heat and once hot add the broken up fettucini. Toast for 1-2 minutes until the pasta starts to brown, then remove from the pan and set aside.

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan and return to a medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and soft. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the chicken stock to the pan and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the lentils, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until soft. Add the toasted fettucine, tamarind water, 150 millilitres water, pomegranate molasses, 4 teaspoons of salt and lots of pepper. Continue to cook for 8-9 minutes until the pasta is soft and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed and set aside for 10 minutes. The liquid will continue to be absorbed, but the lentils and pasta should remain moist.

Place a small saucepan on a medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes until just golden brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander.

Spoon the lentils and pasta into a large shallow serving bowl. Top with the garlic and coriander, parsley, pomegranate seeds, sumac and serve with the lemon wedges.

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